Oakland: Happy new year means less crime

There are only two resolutions I need to hear from Oakland city officials to make for a prosperous new year:

Focus every effort, every available dime and every available body on keeping Oakland residents safer in 2013 than they were in 2012.

And, let law enforcement professionals make the decisions about police tactics, strategies and focus. That means setting aside all political needs, dreams and pet projects.

Police certainly couldn't do any worse than the mayor's office did last year by basing crime-reduction strategies on a flawed plan, that's for sure.

Because there's no getting around the fact that 2012 was deadly in Oakland, especially for the residents of East Oakland, where people were gunned down, sometimes while walking to a store or standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one was safe, not night or day.

The violence continued unabated all year long, and on Sunday afternoon claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl described as an innocent. The girl was the only one of five people shot in Oakland over the weekend to die. She is one of 131 homicide victims in Oakland this past year. By way of comparison, that's nearly three times more than the 46 slayings in San Jose, a city nearly twice Oakland's population located about 50 miles away. I'm sick and tired of Oakland city officials arguing over insignificant issues, or personal grudges, when people are being shot daily, weekly and monthly.

Even the announcement of progress is marred and marked by the violence that has come to define Oakland.

The news last week that William J. Bratton, former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and law enforcement innovator, had been hired to advise Police Chief Howard Jordan on developing data-driven and other crime strategies was followed a day later by news that four people died by violence. On Friday, three people were shot to death in Oakland while a woman died in a fatal traffic accident caused by a suspect fleeing from police.

There's no question that Bratton knows his stuff. His strategies have seen results in Los Angeles as well as in Boston and New York, where he served as police commissioner.

The question is whether Oakland politicians have the backbone to stand up for some of the proposals he might make. He is a proponent of aggressive stop-and-frisk policies as a deterrent to gun crimes, but such tactics in Oakland draw antipolice critics and make local politicians squeamish.

Former Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts was a Bratton protege. When Batts was appointed Baltimore's police commissioner in November, Bratton offered the highest praise - while alluding to Batts' misfortune in Oakland under Mayor Jean Quan.

"Tony Batts is one of the best there is in American policing today," Bratton told the Baltimore Sun. "Tony is best left alone. Tell him what you want, what your goals are, and he'll get you there. I hope based on recent experiences in Baltimore that your mayor is smart enough to realize she's picked one of the best, who will share her vision, and leave him to it."

And just to show how fickle life can be, two months later Bratton will be working for Oakland. If that isn't a clearer example of the dire need for my No. 2 resolution, I can't think of one.

So let 2013 be a year when fresh faces on the council put an end to long-standing personal feuds that invade civic life and turn government meetings into carnival sideshows.

Let it be the year when our leaders grow up a little, show some maturity, and make it a point of pride and policy to put a dent in a crime spree that lasted for an entire year.

Oakland residents are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to doing for themselves, but it's time our elected officials show they have what it takes to lead a city.

And here's my resolution: If Quan and the City Council can accomplish even a modest crime reduction, I will heap upon them credit they deserve.

Happy new year, everyone.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com

Ryan Seacrest Hosts First New Year's Rockin' Eve After Dick Clark's Passing

Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for DCPNYE

This year marks the first year that Dick Clark is no longer here with us for his namesake New Year's Eve special. Still, the legendary TV host's presence was felt very strongly among friends and fans alike.
The show began with a two-hour tribute to the late Clark, who passed away in April 2012.
Hosts Jenny McCarthy, Fergie and Ryan Seacrest all reminisced about some of their favorite memories with the TV legend  and counted down the top 30 artists that Dick helped discover.

Clark is credited with helping launch the careers of James Brown, Cyndi Lauper and even The Go-Go's!
Needless to say, when the festivities kicked off this year, host Ryan Seacrest had a lot of weight resting on his shoulders. Although he's been a part of the show since 2005, this was the first year Seacrest was forced to go it alone.
When asked about hosting the gig without his legendary mentor, Ryan told Billboard.com, "'I just want to make Dick Clark proud."

If there is anyone qualified to carry the torch, it's definitely Ryan. The host certainly has the résumé and he has that charisma where he is able to talk to viewers as if each and every one of them is one of his friends, which ironically is exactly what he said about Clark.
But Ryan made no bones about missing his mentor. He paid a heartfelt homage to the legend, even tweeting during the show, "Tonight is dedicated to the man who started it all… Dick Clark".
While the evening could have easily taken on a very somber tone, Seacrest somehow managed to create an upbeat show that combined the spirit of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with a celebration of the late great's life.
Justin Bieber, Neon Trees, Flo Rida, Pitbull, PSY, Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift all performed as part of the show.
Source: http://uk.eonline.com

Rob Ryan gets a pass -- for now

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless debate whether it is time to break up the Cowboys.

IRVING, Texas -- It's OK to admit Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan did a nice job keeping an injury-ravaged unit from total collapse during the second half of the season.

AP Photo/James D SmithRob Ryan's defense lacked an identity and ranked low in several categories, but the number of injuries to the unit can't be ignored.

You're even allowed to concede the Cowboys' defense absolutely did its job Sunday night against the Washington Redskins. No joke.
Forget about Alfred Morris' 200 yards rushing. Or Robert Griffin III's 10.3 average per carry.
Instead, focus on the bottom line: With three minutes left in the game, Washington had scored 21 points and RG III did not have a completion of 20 yards or more.
In the first meeting of the season between the teams, RG III passed for 304 yards -- 179 came on four completions -- and four touchdowns.
This time, Ryan's defense controlled him. Sort of.
And it still wasn't enough.
The Cowboys lost, which means America's Team will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.
So everyone, as they should be, gets scrutinized.

AP Photo/James D SmithDeMarcus Ware, who needs offseason surgery, should help anchor a formidable Cowboys defense next season.

After Jason Garrett and Tony Romo, the brash, smack-talking defensive coordinator must be at the top of the list as we continue to study whether he's a terrific defensive coordinator or just a dude living off the reputation of his daddy and his brother. Understand, Garrett could've ended any and all speculation about Ryan's continued future as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator Monday afternoon, but declined.
"We're not going to get into staff conversations now," Garrett said. "I have a lot of confidence in Rob Ryan. There's no question about that."
The best thing Ryan did this season is not throw a pity party when injuries wrecked his defense.
In the end, the Cowboys had four defensive starters injured, not including nickel cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Injuries limited perennial Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff to five games.
Against Washington, linebacker DeMarcus Ware played situationally because of elbow and shoulder injuries that will each require surgery to repair in the offseason. And star linebacker Anthony Spencer sprained his ankle and missed several plays on Washington's go-ahead touchdown drive.
The Cowboys tried to make their playoff run with guys off the street, such as defensive backs Sterling Moore, Eric Frampton and Charlie Peprah playing key roles along with linebackers Ernie Sims and Alex Albright and defensive lineman Brian Schaefering.

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"I thought he did a really good job managing that situation and I thought our defensive staff did a good job managing that situation and getting these guys ready to play in a short period of time against some competitive opponents," Garrett said. "We became more and more decimated as the year went on and we had to make adjustments in our schemes to fit what these guys were capable of doing. "It was challenging, but he never blinked. He understood what he had and tried his best to put the best defense out there that he could."
All of that is true, but the problem with Ryan's defensive is that it lacked identity early in the season, when he had access to all of his best players.
Late in the season, Ryan utilized primarily zone coverages so the Cowboys wouldn't give up big plays. The idea was to force teams to drive the length of the field in hopes somebody, anybody would make a play along the way to foil the drive.
The Cowboys didn't do anything well -- and that's a problem.
They ranked 22nd in offensive points allowed (22.4 points). And 25th in yards per play (5.77). And 28th in 10-play drives allowed with 32.
They intercepted just seven passes. No team intercepted fewer. The Cowboys created just 79 negative plays, 31st in the NFL.
Not good enough.
The injuries aren't an excuse, but they're a legitimate reason why it's difficult to determine just how well Ryan did this season. There does come a time when a unit can get compromised because of injury.
If you don't think that happened to the Cowboys this season, then you didn't watch the games. Or you choose to ignore the truth.

Ryan has done enough to earn another year, his third in Dallas. But we need to see results next season. When the season starts, the Cowboys' quartet of linebackers -- we'll assume Spencer gets the franchise tag -- should be among the NFL's best. Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr represent a quality cornerback tandem and Ratliff and Hatcher will be playmakers on the defensive line.
The Cowboys will add some contributors in the draft and maybe free agency. Talent won't be an issue.
Then we'll finally know for sure whether Ryan, who has never been a coordinator for a team that finished over .500, can get the job done.
Source: http://espn.go.com

Jimi Hendrix: Auld Lang Syne

As we charge into the future (at least here on the East Coast), maybe take a few minutes to travel back to the past for a spectacular version of that classic New Years song that's playing practically everywhere tonight. There's not much to be said about Jimi Hendrix's Auld Lang Syne that isn't summed up in the phrase "Jimi Hendrix's Auld Lang Syne" so let's just leave it at that. Happy New Year! 

Jimi Hendrix ultimate rock and roll badass.
"There's not much to be said about Jimi Hendrix's Auld Lang Syne that isn't summed up in the phrase "Jimi Hendrix's Auld Lang Syne"
Well said, well said.
Source: http://gizmodo.com

Stores Open On New Year's Day 2013: Walmart, Target And Other Holiday Store Hours

New Year's Day is a nationally observed holiday in the U.S., with many closures and special store hours.

(Photo: Reuters)
A list of popular retail stores and chains that will be open with holiday hours on New Year's Day 2013.

City, county, state and federal government offices, schools, financial markets and post offices will be closed on Jan. 1, 2013. Public transportation in major cities will run on holiday schedules.

Meanwhile, many national retailers will open their doors to shoppers. Retailers including Best Buy, Target, Apple and Wal-Mart will all have modified store hours on New Year's Day.

Stores, offices and transportation systems will resume normal hours on Jan. 2, the first official business day of the new year.

Although banks and some small business will be closed on Tuesday, several stores will keep normal business hours on New Year's Day. Here's a list of some stores that will be open on Jan. 1. Be sure to check ahead of going to confirm the hours.

Best Buy: Some stores will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.

Costco: Costco will be closed on New Year's Day.

IKEA: Stores will be open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Kmart: Stores will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Macy's: Stores will open at 10 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

Target: Stores will be open during regular business hours on New Year's Day.

Toys R Us: Stores will operate on normal business hours on new Year's Day.

Walgreens: 24-hour stores will operate on normal business hours.

Walmart: Stores will open at 6:00 a.m. 24-hour locations will remain open during normal hours.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com

Concert review: Pitbull throws a hip-shaking New Year's Eve Eve party at WinStar

 BRENNA RUSHING/Special Contributor

Pitbull danced his way across the stage at the WinStar World Casino on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. 

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For one night, the sunny beaches and Latino spice of Miami invaded the massive Oklahoma casino we once knew as WinStar. The Cuban rapper Pitbull was responsible for this hip-swaying, salsa-dancing takeover; he sold out the 2,000+ capacity ballroom for a pre-New Year’s Eve party that was worth the hour-long drive.

In a black suit complete with his signature shades, Pitbull wasted no time kicking off his zealous set of mash-ups and radio singles. He came on the scene in 2002 with a freestyle feature on Lil Jon’s Kings of Crunk, giving him numerous albums to pull from and countless mainstream hits that made the packed room go wild. If the room’s energy was compared to a trendy nightclub, this was the Las Vegas club that stays open way past 2 a.m. -- the kind where the only reason you don’t have a drink in your hand is because you’re dancing too much, and where every song kicks off an entirely new party.

Tracks like “International Love” and “Hotel Room Service” showcased Pitbull's gravelly chords and sultry flow, and it didn’t hurt that he could move his hips with as much grace as his fellow Latina Shakira. With two drum kits complete with a bongo drum set, his drummers built up the spicy Latin American flavor that give his songs an added pop. Multicultural fans young and old danced away what might have been their New Year’s Eve celebration, shouting out Pitbull’s lines about living every day like it’s your last, or about a lustful night on the dance floor.

Mash-ups featuring songs from other artists filled the gaps between his countless singles, making us wonder if we really were at a club instead of a Pitbull concert. SongS from Nirvana and Black Eyed Peas made their way into the set for no reason other than to continue the zesty party. His major pop track “Rain Over Me” featuring Marc Anthony was a crowd favorite, giving the Hispanic majority another reason to cheer for their beloved celebrities. Pitbull swayed his hips and pelvic-thrusted his way through the sexy number, as he did for most of the night, making some women in the room squeal with delight.

Pitbull's seductive Spanish lines dominated the onstage banter for most of the evening, and he ended the frenzied fiesta by finally taking off his shades.

Source: http://www.dallasnews.com

PSY Brings Hammer, Video Actors in for 'Finale' of 'Gangnam Style'

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PSY

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PSY Plots 'The Ending of 'Gangnam Style'' For New Year's Eve

With his ubiquitous single "Gangnam Style" finally starting to slip on the charts -- the track, which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, has dropped to No. 19 on the tally -- PSY has announced plans to move on from his breakout tune following its performance at "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on Monday night (Dec. 31).

Has America seen the last of "Gangnam Style"? Korean rapper PSY performed the song that spawned a billion YouTube views during "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on Monday night in NYC -- an occasion he has called the song's U.S. "finale."

For the performance, PSY trotted out several memorable characters from the song's video, including crotch-thrusting biker short guy and yellow suit dancer, played by South Korean entertainers Roh Hong-cheol and Yoo Jae Suk, respectively.



In a reprise of their American Music Awards triumph, PSY, who turned 35 on the holiday, also welcomed '90s rap icon Hammer to the chilly Times Square stage.

In a chat with MTV News, PSY said that he'll spend 2013 focusing on crafting another U.S. hit, rather than just continuing on his current "Gangnam"-only media tour.

"I'm really working hard on a new single right now, and I'm not saying ['Gangnam'] is ending on 'Dick Clark' - I still have a lot of invitations to perform it ... I'll be in Paris, and in February I got invited to perform in China, and I've still got to do promo," he said. "So let me say that in America I need a new single because 'Gangnam Style' got too popular, so I've got to write a new single."
Source: http://www.billboard.com